Remembrance
by Quitting Time
Summary: 6 years ago, Tori lost her wife, Jade to cancer. Leaving her to raise their daughter alone. Now Tori and her teenage daughter are barely getting along. They desperately need Jade's help. But she's gone and can't help, or can she? A one off Jori Story.


**Disclaimer: The show Victorious, it's characters and other associated copyrights are property of someone else and not me.**

**Remembrance**

**Chapter 1 **

**No one's POV**

A single tear ran down Tori's cheek. "I just don't know what to do Jade. She just won't listen to me anymore."

More tears began to flow, as Tori waited for the answer that she knew would never come. The wind blowing leaves across Jade's grave, was the only response Tori got.

"Our daughter Chloe is 16 and a half and she's the spitting image of you and act's like you so much. But that's the problem Jade. She's too much like you, but this time; I can't get through to her. "

Tori's strength seemed to give out and she sank to her knees.

"We were supposed to be together Jade" Tori cried as she choked back sobs.

"But you got cancer and died on me, leaving me for the last 6 years to raise or daughter alone. I tried Jade. I try every day but she just seems to hate me more and more."

Tori wiped a few tears. "She was at a party that got busted last week, and she was arrested. She was drunk and stoned. Only because my of my father, did she not end up in Juvenile detention. And what does she do when I try to lecture her? She screams at me that I'm ruining her life. This boy she's dating, Cal. I've only met him twice, he's rude and treats her like dirt, yet she keeps telling me that he's the great love of her life. I know I'm over protective sometimes but I'm so afraid of losing her."

Tori just choked up even more. "Please Jade, I need you. I just can't get through to her. I think she's even thinking of dropping out of school or something stupid like that."

"Please Jade, I'm so lost without you."

Tori was too overcome to speak anymore. Visiting her wife's grave, was always painful for Tori. After 12 years of happy marriage, successful actress and wife of Tori, Jade West-Vega died of lymphoma. Tori, hear heart shattered, was left to raise their daughter all alone. She focused her time on songwriting and her daughter, doing little else. She hadn't even gone on a single date since Jade had died. Tori's heart had gone cold and dark.

Every time in the last 6 years Tori felt she needed help she came here to the cemetery. To Jade's gave.

As always, the sound of the wind was the only reply to her sobs.

After a few minutes of sobbing, Tori finally composed herself and got up.

She carefully picked the leaves off the grave, as she prepared to leave. "Good Bye baby. I love you."

Tori walked slowly to the car, trying to think of what to do. She and Chloe had been fighting almost non stop since since she turned 14. Tori had given up her singing career and became a songwriter. That allowed her to stay at home and raise her daughter.

An hour later, Tori arrived home at her house, wondering what the fight would be about tonight.

Tori entered the house to see Chloe sitting on the couch watching TV, in the living room. Chloe was the spitting image of Jade, down to her smirk. Though the eyes, were a bit more like her father's.

"How was school?" Tori asked. It was a meaningless question which always garnered the same answer. "Fine" But Tori asked it anyway, in the hopes it may start an actual conversation.

"It was fine." Said Chloe West-Vega, showing little emotion.

Tori paused in the entrance to the living room for a few more seconds, as an uncomfortable silence descended on the room.

Tori just didn't know what to say.

"Cal's coming over tonight." She suddenly announced as Tori started to leave.

Tori stepped back into the room quickly. "Uh no he's not!"

Chloe jumped off the couch, "You said I was grounded for that party, I'm not going out. He's coming here."

Tori quickly grew angry. "No He's not. You're grounded which means no friends and no boyfriends. He's no good for you anyway. He calls you when he's bored, but ignores you the rest of the time. He's rude and doesn't show you any respect."

Chloe began to scream. "You don't understand him. You're always trying to ruin my life. Mama Jade would have understood. You never let me do anything anyway."

Using Jade against her made Tori even angrier. "Well Jade is dead and I'm you parent and that's how it goes!"

Chloe turned red. "You're not even my real parent. Jade's my mom and Beck's my father."

Tori was now furious. "Beck only donated sperm, that's it. I'm your mother. "

"I HATE YOU. I WISH YOU WERE DEAD INSTEAD OF MAMA JADE! SHE ACUTALLY LOVED ME." Chloe screamed as she stormed out of the room.

Tori just stood there stunned, by her daughter's words. A moment later, for the second time today, Tori broke down in tears.

An hour later Tori was speaking to Cat, telling her the story.

"I'm so sorry honey. The thing is Tori is that you only work, you never go out. You're too overprotective. I know she's a lot to handle but, maybe you should focus on yourself a bit. It may help the whole situation." Cat said.

"I just don't know what to do anymore. After she stormed out she tried to call Beck. She told me she wanted to live with him. Beck and his wife have a life of their own and a baby. Chloes' my child, I'm her mother. Except I'm losing her." Tori sobbed.

Cat thought for a moment and made a decision. "I'm going to come by tonight. I think I know what to do."

"I'm not sure what you can do Cat. Chloe loves her auntie Cat but even your influence is limited here." Tori explained.

Cat's voice seemed to perk up. "Don't worry. I have just what is needed. I'll be by in an hour."

After Cat hung up the phone, her husband Robbie walked into the room. "Tori and Chloe fighting again?"

Cat sighed. "Really badly. I think it's time"

A look of surprise appeared on Robbie's face. "Are you sure?"

Cat nodded. "Yeah I'm sure."

An hour later Cat was at Tori's Door. She rang the bell and a moment later, Tori opened the door.

"Hey Cat." Tori said, trying to sound cheerful and failing miserably.

Cat gave Tori a quick hug. "Get Chloe and have her come in the living room. I have something to show the both of you."

"What?" Said Tori with a confused expression.

Cat just walked past Tori to the Living room. "Just get her."

A few minutes later Chloe and Tori came into the living room. Chloe looked pissed off as she came in the room. They both noticed that the DVD player was on and ready to go.

"Hello aunt Cat." Chloe said, sounding like she didn't want to be there.

Cat pointed to the couch. "Both of you sit down and shut up." Reluctantly, Chloe and Tori sat down next to each other on the couch.

Cat frowned. "Now You've been at each other 's throats for the two years."

Both of them started to talk, but Cat quickly responded. "I said shut up!"

After a moment Chloe asked. "What then is this all about? I doubt anything you could say would help us." She said cynically.

Tori shot Chloe a nasty look, but otherwise said nothing.

Cat nodded. "You're right, I couldn't, but there is someone else who can. So I would advise you to shut up and listen to what she has to say."

Cat hit play.

An instant later an image of Jade in her hospital bed came up on the screen. She looked weak and a bit more pale than normal but it was Jade. She was wearing a black wig as her hair had fallen out at this point due to the chemo.

Tori's heart jumped at the sight of her wife. "Jade!"

"Mama" Said Chloe, almost in desperation.

After a moment Jade started to speak. "Chloe, Tori if you're watching this than you two have come to a point where you're at each throats and things have gotten very bad. I left this message with Cat in case this happened. Chloe I'm guessing you are somewhere between the ages of 16 and 19. If you fought with Tori even half as much as I did with my mother, than you two have serious problems. "

Jade appeared to collect her thoughts and looked increasingly emotional, as time went on.

"I'm sorry I had to leave you two. It breaks my heart that I have too. You both know I fought this with all the strength I had, but the cancer won. I have less than a month left."

Seeing Jade for the first time in 6 years, Chloe and Tori had begun to cry. They both noticed that Jade was crying.

"You two.." Jade appeared to choke on her words. "Are the two most important people in my life and I love you both with all my heart. And it kills me to think that you two can't get along. I wish I could be there and give you both a hug but I can't"

Jade wiped a tear and made a loud sniffle. "Chloe, you're smart, pretty and wonderful. I hope you still draw, you have the makings to be a great artist. You are a lot like me, but that worries me sometimes. You need to remember that Tori is all alone here. You can't imagine how painful and hard that is for her and I know she's doing the best she can to raise you without me. Raising a child alone is hard, even under the best of circumstances. She loves you as much as I do and wants you to be happy, healthy and successful."

As Jade spoke to Chloe, Tori felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulder. The weight of being a single parent, which Tori had carried for the last 6 years, had been lifted. For a few seconds at least, Jade was back and she wasn't alone. For Tori it was both wonderful and incredibly hard at the same time. For the first time in six years, her heart beat again. But there was a small amount of pain with each beat.

"Chloe, you need to cut her some slack and listen to her. If she tells you that something is a bad idea, than it probably is a bad idea. She's not perfect, but she does try."

"Yes mama" Chloe tearfully said.

"It's not very easy to deal with your mother, when you're a teenager. I know more than anyone. But you need to keep trying to communicate. Promise me you will keep trying and remember that Tori loves you. She may be a pain in the ass, but she's the best pain in the ass, in the whole world. I love you Chloe."

Chloe kept sobbing. Seeing her mama Jade again, was like getting both barrels so to speak. She had forgotten that not having mama Jade around was just as painful to Tori, if not more. Chloe had a moment of clarity and realized that Jade was right. Tori was doing the best she could, which is hard when you're alone with a broken heart. She felt terrible about the things she said earlier, as she realized how much of a selfish bitch she had been.

"I will mama, I promise. I love you mama." She sobbed.

Jade kept talking but began cry even more. "Tori, I can only imagine what it's like to be alone raising a child. You want to protect her from everything, since she's the only thing you have left of me. But you need to let her learn and make some mistakes. I'm not saying that you need to let her run wild, but you need to give her some freedom. You need to remember she's in pain too, and probably angry. Don't stop loving her, don't give up on her. No matter how much she pisses you off. You're strong and I know you can do it. Thank you for raising our daughter alone. I can never thank you enough. I love you Tori."

"I love you Baby." Tori said between sobs.

Jade pulled out a Kleenex, blew her nose and wiped away her tears. "To help you come together again, I'm sending you two goons on vacation. One of those nice resorts in Mexico; I'll send you both to. I set aside some money, which Cat has control of. That will pay for everything. Have some fun mother daughter time. I'm guessing you both need it. Just remember I love you both and each other is all you have. So try to get along and don't make me haunt you two."

Jade smiled and blew a kiss. "Love you both."

At this point Cat, who had been standing in the back of the room hit stop. Like Tori and Chloe, she was in tears herself.

Chloe looked at her mother as she slowly filled with remorse. "I'm sorry mama Tori." Tori threw her arms around her daughter for a tight hug. "I'm sorry Chloe."

After a tight hug that lasted several seconds, the pair broke. "I only want the best for you. Like this Cal, I know you care for him, I'm not doubting that. But you can find someone who really cares and respects you. I'm sorry if I've been overprotective. Jade knew I would be. I know we're never going to see eye to eye completely, but you need to remember I love you."

Chloe looked down. "I'm sorry what I said earlier. I didn't mean it. I've been a total bitch lately. I'm sorry. I love you mama."

Tori kissed her daughter on the forehead. "I know you didn't. How about we have lunch tomorrow and we can talk to each other for once. Instead of talking at each other. We might actually make some progress. Plus we can talk vacation plans."

Chloe smiled. "I'd like that."

Tori looked at Cat. "You had this all these years?"

Cat nodded as she wiped away her tears. "She knew at some point, you would need her help. She had me tape that message. That one and a few others which I will only give you, if the occasion arises. Those are Jade's wishes. As far as the trip, she wanted you to go to one of those nice resorts in Mexico. She even picked a few you might like. I have her notes on that and the eight thousand dollars she gave to me to hold. More than enough for a very nice trip."

Tori got up and hugged Cat. "Thanks Cat. You're a lifesaver."

"Thanks Cat" Chloe said.

Cat smiled. "It's nothing, I'm just following Jade's instructions."

"Well that's my business here. Ohh before I forget." Cat reached in her purse and took out another DVD, which she handed to Tori.

"Jade told me, to have you watch this one alone. She wouldn't even let me be in the room when she taped it, as I was with all the others. I have no idea what's on it. It's a private message for you." Cat said as she turned to leave.

"Good Night, Chloe, Later Tori" Cat said as she left.

Tori looked at the DVD and smiled. "A message from my Jade." She said to herself.

Tori instead spent some time talking with Chloe, after an hour they felt they made some progress. The barrier which had been built up between them had been shattered by Jade's message.

Chloe Yawned. "I'm Tired mama. I'm going to bed. Besides I'm sure you want to see mama Jade's message."

Tori nodded. "Yes I do, but I thought it more important to talk to you first. We can talk more at lunch tomorrow. I'll take you to that sushi place you like. Afterward we can watch one of your mothers movies. I haven't been able to watch any of them, since she died. Mabye we can together."

Chloe smiled and gave Tori a kiss on the cheek. "I'd really like that mama. Thank you. Good night mama."

"Good night sweetie,"

Tori grabbed the DVD and went up to her room and shut the door. It was hard seeing Jade again but she and Chloe both needed the talk. She wondered what message Jade had for her. But before she hit play on the DVD, she went to her dresser.

She opened her jewelry box and pulled out her wedding ring. It was a gold band with a bright diamond on it. Tori couldn't even bear to take it off for at least 2 years after Jade died. She sobbed for 2 days when she finally did. She felt she needed to wear it, as she watched Jade's message and slipped it on.

The presence of the ring on her finger, gave Tori a warm comforting feeling.

She sat on the bed, cross legged, with a box of Kleenex next to her and hit play.

Jade appeared again on the screen. She was in her hospital room, still wearing her black wig and a robe. There was a sad smile on her face.

"Hi baby" Jade said quietly.

In the brief pause after that, Tori responded. "Hi Jade"

Jade smirked. "I know you miss them so I'm going to give you a bit of a show while I give you this message. "

Jade slipped out of her robe exposing her breast's to Tori, which brought a smile to her face.

"I wish more than anything I could be there Tori. It kills me to know, that I won't be able to grow old with you. See our daughter grow up and have children of her own. Spend life together. My heart breaks when I picture you going through life without me. But fate dealt us a cruel hand and you have to raise Chloe without me. Thank you for raising her for us."

Jade began to tear up, as did Tori who was watching.

"You are the best thing that ever happened to me. You were the best wife, anyone could ever ask for. Thank you for choosing me. I love you. I can only imagine what it's like. I'm sure it's hard, but I gave you no choice. The thing is that I want you to be happy. Not only for you, but for our daughter. If you're happier, than things will be easier for Chloe. My parents were very unhappy and it affected me and I don't want Chloe to go through that. "

Jade blew her nose and wiped away her tears.

"What I'm about to say, is probably the hardest thing I will ever say. I know you're heartbroken. I know you're lonely. I know you feel that moving on would somehow betray me. But you have a life ahead of you and as much as it pains me to say it. You need to live it. "

Jade wiped a tear. "If you find someone who can make you happy, than…than…let them make you happy."

Jade paused for a moment, as she seemed to be overcome.

"I imagine your heart is like a large house. I still own it but, I've moved away. It's empty, devoid of life. Fill it again, with love and life. I want that for you. "

"But I want to be with you!" Tori sobbed.

As if Jade had heard Tori's cry she responded. "We will be together again. In the next world and eternity beyond, you're all mine. I'm going to hold you and never let you go. But in the mean time, I can't stand to think of you suffering all alone. Fill you heart full of life and love. It will help you and help Chloe. Promise me, you'll live again."

Tori sobbed. "I promise baby"

Just hearing those words, tore though Tori like nothing else. Since Jade's death, she had indeed shut her heart down. That house that was her heart, sat empty, cold and dark. Painful as it was, Tori knew that Jade was right; she needed to open it up again. Until the day came, where Jade once again took residence.

Jade smiled and Blew Tori a kiss. "I love you Tori Vega, and I always will. We'll be together again. I promise."

"I love you Jade. I'll live again, I promise." Tori said to her dead wife, as the video ended.

**I was writing the next chapter of Shock Value and this idea stormed into my head. It just stayed there and pretty much blocked everything else. So I needed to write it to purge it, as it were. **

**I wanted to write a real tear jerker and I think I succeeded. Mother's and daughter's fight a lot. I pictured a tale where Tori was left to raise their child without Jade. Jade knew that her help would eventually be needed and planned ahead. **

**I pictured Jade wanting Tori to be happy. Telling Tori she needed to move on would probably be extremely painful, but Jade knew she needed to say it. **


End file.
